Happy Valentine's Day
by wayward-tiger
Summary: Castiel and the kids decide to surprise a blind Dean for Valentine's Day. Part 3 of Celebration!Verse.


Hayden stuck his scrawny arm into the Valentine's Day candy pile he had acquired from school earlier that day. He pulled out of the pile with a chocolate bar grasped firmly in his palm. He tore the plastic wrapping off, tossing it to the side of the coffee table. He proceeded to stuffing the sugary treat into his plump mouth. As he savored the creamy texture of his snack, he sunk his petite lazy form further into the comfort of the family room couch. Hayden released a sigh of pleasure and allowed himself to close his eyes for a moment, wanting to absorb every ounce of chocolatey goodness uninterrupted by visual stimuli.

With his eyes shut, he followed the trail of dancing sunspots left on the backs of his eyelids. Swallowing his last bite, Hayden allowed himself to wonder if this was what Dean saw all the time. His dad, Castiel, had always informed both Hayden and Felicia that Dean was indeed blind and unable to see. Hayden still had a hard time imagining what it would be like to not be able to see. He wondered if Dean could still see spots racing across his eyelids or faint tints of color.

The couch dipped further as Castiel positioned himself next to his young son. Hayden was startled out of his curious thoughts when his father took a seat beside him.

"Hey, Dad." Hayden greeted his father, flashing his eyes open.

"Hello, Hayden. How was your school today?" Castiel returned the greeting. He glanced over the coffee table and took notice of the Valentine's Day candy pile that his son had dragged home from his earlier educational celebrations.

"It was good. Just got candy for Valentine's Day." Hayden sighed.

A moment of mutual silence passed as both father and son nodded and stared down the candy pile.

"We will have to be sure to hide your candy before your father returns." Castiel chuckled, remembering how well Dean was able to sniff out sugar. Dean became especially talented in the search for candy after he lost his sight several years ago.

"Mm, yeah." Hayden spoke softly while a faint smile flitted across his lips, "Where is Dee Dee?"

"I'm afraid your father has taken a leave of absence today. He mentioned earlier that he would be helping Sam prepare for his Valentine's date with Sarah." Castiel already missed his husband's presence in their home.

"Why does Uncle Sammy need help?" Hayden inquired.

"Well, Uncle Sam had promised Sarah that he'd make her a Valentine's Day dinner. From what I understand, Sam isn't very talented with cooking whereas your father is." Castiel chuckled again, "I think your father is being used as a 'taste-tester'?"

"What are you gonna do for Dee Dee tonight?" Hayden asked innocently while looking up at his father's deep blue eyes.

"I can't say I've thought of anything to do for him." Castiel feigned disappointment.

A gasp was released from across the room where Felicia, Castiel and Dean's five-year-old daughter, stood in the room's entryway. Her long blonde hair rested in bunches on her thin shoulders, swaying ever slightly with the shaking of her bouncing head. She gave her Hayden and Castiel a short glare before she jumped into Castiel's lap unexpectedly. Castiel let out a surprised grunt at the added weight of his daughter.

"Daddy, you have to do something for Mumma!" Felicia cried as she flailed her slender arms about in any direction they could reach.

Enthusiastically, Hayden nodded in agreement with his sister, "Yeah, Dad, you should do something for Dee Dee!"

With both of his children jumping in excitement and concern for their absent parent, Castiel had only the option to nod in confirmation, "Well, I suppose I should do something for Dean to show my appreciation of him." He paused, "Although I haven't a clue as to how I should express my affections."

Felicia pulled her lower lip between her teeth and rested her small chin in her tender palm as if to emphasize that she was indeed thinking of a solution. When an idea came to her, Felicia jumped up and down in her father's lap making 'oohing' noises.

"Oh, I know! When Katie's daddy wanted to do something nice for her mommy on their anniversary, he got her a card! You could make Mumma a card!" Felicia squealed, smile shining bright to show off her genius.

Everyone seemed to be in agreement with the idea until Hayden had a sudden realization, "Wait, Dee Dee won't be able to read it, though."

Placing his palms on the backs of both his offspring Castiel calmly soothed their worrying minds, "Do not worry, if we make the card in braille he will be able to read it just fine."

"Wassat?" Felicia and Hayden were both unfamiliar with the term.

"Have you noticed the small bumps on most things your father picks up?" Castiel glanced around the room for a physical example when he spotted the television remote within reach. "For example the remote control: there is a slight bump on both the number five button. These bumps are placed in certain order and areas to signify a specific meaning to someone. They are not random bumps, but rather they are more like a code or an alphabet."

"I know the alphabet!" Felicia squeaked.

"That's great, Felicia. We can apply your knowledge of our common alphabet to the braille alphabet so we can make your father a card." Castiel smiled.

Felicia clapped in place as Castiel began to slowly remove himself from the furniture.

"Since writing in braille takes time and patience, we will need to start now." Castiel said as he motioned for everyone to move into the kitchen.

Castiel led the children into the kitchen and had them seated at the kitchen table. He placed sheets of paper, child-safe scissors, and some glue in front of them. Felicia had managed to sneak a tube of pink glitter into the pile without catching Castiel or Hayden's attention.

While spreading newspaper over the table to act as a place mat, Castiel began to explain the braille alphabet and how it could be used to write full thoughts in sentences. Before he started teaching them to braille, he showed them a visual representation of the braille alphabet and took the time to identify each letter and symbol. Castiel also explained to Hayden and Felicia how they would go about writing their card.

When he finished reviewing, he took out a new sheet of paper and placed it between two metallic slides of the braille slate. He clamped the sides of the slate down, shutting it in place over the paper. In his newly freed hand, Castiel took hold of the small braille stylus.

"All of the letters you see in the alphabet on that sheet need to be flipped around when you go to braille it." Castiel began instructing, focusing most of his attention on Hayden who seemed the most interested in this process, "That would mean that if you wanted to write a word, or even a sentence, the letters and words would all have to be written backwards." Castiel began demonstrating his meaning slowly by punching letters in backwards through the braille slate, "Do you understand?"

Both Hayden and Felicia nodded enthusiastically as their blonde locks bounced with their motion.

"Alright, good," Castiel smiled at them, "What should we write then?"

Hayden and Felicia talked amongst themselves until they came to an agreement as to what the card should say. Felicia leaned in to Castiel and whispered the message in his ear.

Hayden had taken interest in the actual act of writing the braille, whereas Felicia was more interested in the decoration of the card.

Step by step, word by word, Castiel helped direct his son braille the card message. After a half an hour of hard work and intense glittering (Felicia had spilled the entire tube of pink glitter on the card), Dean's Valentine's Day surprise was completed.

"You put too much pink on it!" Hayden complained to his younger sister.

"Nu uh!" Felicia stuck out her tiny tongue.

"I'm sure your father will like the card; glitter and all." Castiel assured the bickering children.

The kitchen door behind them clicked shut, ringing loud in the room after having reached a new calm.

"What will I like?" Dean asked, walking from where he stood by the door. With the help of his long cane, Dean made his way to the kitchen table to greet his family.

Not able to control her giddiness at seeing Dean's sudden and unexpected appearance, Felicia burst out with a squeal, "We made you a card, Mumma!" Felicia ran over to Dean, reaching for him until he lifted her up in his arms.

"Oh did you?" Dean had a light and teasing tone to his voice.

"Yes, we did. Hayden, why don't you give him our card?" Castiel smiled, gesturing for Hayden to retrieve the present for Dean.

Hayden nodded and placed the card in Dean's free hand. While balancing his daughter on his hip, Dean opened the card and smoothed his fingers over the surface.

Initially, Dean had been against learning how to read Braille ever since Michael had taken his vision. He thought of the braille alphabet only as a handicap. It wasn't until both Sam and Castiel argued enough that it would make his life and his family's life easier that he decided to pick up the skill. It had taken time, but with Castiel's expertise instruction and patience, Dean slowly mastered the art of reading braille.

Slowly, Dean began to read the message: We love you! At the bottom of the card, Dean could read the names of his husband and children. A smile overtook his expression as he shut the card.

"Thank you, guys. This was very sweet and thoughtful of you." Dean softly spoke his thanks, smacking a loud kiss on Felicia and Hayden's rosy cheeks. "And let me guess who let the glitter monster loose?" Dean teased, turning his gentle kiss into pretend nibbles against Felicia's neck. The excess glitter from the card fluttered to the ground as the two played.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Dee Dee!" Hayden jumped, hugging Dean's leg.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Felicia echoed.

Dean set Felicia back down on the floor, "I'm not thinking it's much of a 'day' anymore." He eyed the two youths suspiciously, "How about you two run off to bed? Me and your dad are going to clean up down here and put your card in a safe place, okay?"

The two children reluctantly agreed and scampered upstairs after receiving their good night kisses from both parents. Once Dean could hear they were both upstairs, he let his attention fall to his husband who was standing quietly beside the table still. Dean sauntered over to Castiel as gracefully as he could manage without being able to see. He wrapped his arms around Castiel's neck and leaned his head in close.

"That was quite a surprise. I didn't think they'd be interested in braille until they were at least older?" Dean brushed a kiss against Castiel's lips.

"They must take after you, I'm sure. An inquisitive young mind thirsty for knowledge." Castiel responded with a grin.

"Mm, is that what you call this mess?" Dean laughed, referring to the piles of glitter he suspected consumed the kitchen.

"That's exactly what I would call this mess." Castiel took Dean's lips once more.

Both Dean and Castiel cleaned the kitchen, making sure to scrub out every last speck of glitter. Dean placed the Valentine's card on the refrigerator where everyone would be able to admire it. When they were finished, Dean let Castiel lead him upstairs to their bedroom.

Once they were in their room and stripped for bed, Castiel gently pushed Dean back on to the bed. Castiel climbed over top of him, staring down at the beautiful expanse of his husband's freckled skin.

"Woah, Cas, there's more to my surprise?" Dean purred, spreading his legs for his partner.

"Of course there is, Dean. I don't think it would've been appropriate of me to share this part of the surprise with our son when he asked." Castiel deadpanned, pulling Dean's legs over his shoulders.

"How very smart of you. I love knowing that I married a genius."

Both men kissed each other crazy until they had to separate to catch their breath. Castiel rocked Dean in a steady, gentle rhythm while whispering sweet nothings into the blind man's ear.

Dean loved having moments like this with Castiel. This was when he could close his eyes tight and in his husband's arms and imagine he was lost in the moment of blinding pleasure. He loved allowing his hands to search over the angel's body, memorizing every groove and bulge of defined muscle. He liked to imagine during these times that he was normal again.

But Dean Winchester was never truly normal to begin with. And he supposed that was just as fine.


End file.
